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POKER PSYCHOLOGY

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Aspects of Poker Psychology

Psychology plays a major part in poker. Whether it's controlling your own emotions, causing confusion by mixing up your play or simply bluffing, you've got to learn to play with the minds of your opponents. If you can knock them off balance, you can certainly get an edge at the table. Remember, it's not good just concentrating on your cards and your table image. You've got to work out how your opponents play so you can not only defend against their tactics but also be able to disrupt their game plan and develop that intuition so you can work out what cards other players are holding. Following points will help you to understand the basic aspects of poker psychology:

Things to consider when you are experiencing a bad time at the table…

Even if you play a perfect poker game, short-time losses can occur.

Never play more aggressively or more loosely to make up for previous losses. You can just as well win today’s losses back tomorrow.

Never go to a higher level to make good for losses on a lower level. You might end up losing a lot more.

If you continue loosing over a longer period, just leave the room & take a break.

Things to consider when you are experiencing a good time at the table…

Never get carried away i.e. don’t start playing more than the recommended hands. It happens very often that when you have been very successful, you do not get a lot of action from the opposition (as your “table image” is good). Now you can use this table image to steal pots. This can be done by bluffing from an early position. If you win the first time, you will not get called more often in the future. Poker experts call that “advertising play”. This is a good technique yet it’s not advisable to invest too much money in advertising as there is an equal probability of loosing as well.

At some point of the day, you should grab the money that you’ve won and leave. Tomorrow’s another day, and leaving the table while you are ahead is good for your self-confidence!